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Editor’s Note
I was a fan of her column and found myself wanting to send in a question. After racking my brain, I wrote her for some advice. Plainly, it was concerning whether or not to speak up or let it go. After about a month or so, I figured my letter had made a home in a nest of snail mail at her office.

Tending to our hearts
This home would be where we launched our marriage and started our family. Piece by piece and room by room, we would make this house our own – forming memories along the way and shaping the house to fit our personal tastes and our one-day need for a kid-friendly space.

#Bikegang
You don’t have to be a pro-cyclist to visit this co-op (or any co-op for that matter, right?). This is a home for commuters, beginners and lovers of bikes.

Kitchen fires, cooling lemon
I like to think I’m a relatively smart woman. I have some degrees and certificates, and I feel as though I’m not totally naive as far as street smarts go either. Yet every once in a while, I have to wonder where my brain disappears to go have a cocktail when I find myself doing some really dumb stuff.

The ‘Freedom’ Talk
I can’t believe how lucky we are to be born in a country like ours. Imagine waking up one morning, and you are in a hut with mosquitoes buzzing around your head. You hear about Jesus, but you are not allowed to worship Him because you would be killed. The government won’t help you or your family in any way.

Soft looks in summer
In the words of Roberta Gately, author of the book “Lipstick in Afghanistan,” “Lipstick is really magical. It holds more than a waxy bit of color it holds the promise of a brilliant smile, a brilliant day, both literally and figuratively.”.

An industrial look
If you were to take a peek into my home, you would probably notice it is comfortable and lived in. At any given moment, you will probably find a trail of toys. We have action figurines and Cheerios hidden in the oddest of places, and that is OK because this stage of life we are in will not last forever.

What a girl girl wants
Recently, I had the pleasure of working for Susan Thomas in her new home in Benton. Thomas is in the military and stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base. She has a super-cool job having to do with cyber security, but it’s all very hush-hush..

A Bit of Sunshine
A few weeks ago during endless days of rain, my co-workers and I decided to have lunch brought in to the office through On the Go Delivery (onthegodelivery.com). For a small fee of $4.99 per delivery, it was the perfect answer.

Losing Weight or Losing My Mind
"I don’t want you to take this the wrong way,” my husband said as he took a swig of beer to wash down his second piece of pizza. I should have known better, but I forged on, still heady from the fact we had finally gotten away alone for a weekend.

Spirit of Joy
Jessica Miller is the executive director at the Gingerbread House, a safe haven where children who have been sexually or physically abused are interviewed to obtain the details to conduct an effective and complete investigation. Miller has a tough job, but she has learned to balance it through her faith.

Meal-Minded
Chef Hardette Harris knows good food. You might even call her an expert at North Louisiana cuisine. With the official meal of North Louisiana under her belt, Harris has a vision about North Louisiana cuisine (and it has nothing to do with gumbo or jambalaya).

The First Wives of Brew
The last decade has brought a renewed interest in brewing beer, and the number of local breweries opening up each year has skyrocketed. That means women as brewers is also on the rise. Flying Heart Brewing in Bossier City is a new operation founded by three couples who are close friends, and the women have played a major role in turning that dream into a reality.

Home School
How do you know if home-schooling is right for you and your family? HomeSchool Helpers interviewed several parents of home-schooled students in search of their reason for making that decision. What follows is a list of reasons each of these parents decided to home school.

Behavior at school
Word arrives from school that the parents’ child is in trouble. Maybe it was a minor offense and the student simply faced a trip to the office. But maybe a suspension or expulsion is in the near future, leaving the parents wondering whether they could have done something before the situation became so dire.

Summer of Style
Lookin Good.

Fashion Reports
Adria Goins is the morning face helping Shreveport-Bossier City wake up in style on KSLA 12. Her outgoing personality beams through the screen and is matched with a personal style admired by the community..

Smoking Hot Summer
I love smoked foods! When done right it has such a deep and unmistakable flavor. Years ago, meats were smoked to preserve them for long-term storage but today smoking is more for the taste. I look at it like an outdoor crockpot in a way. Once you place your well-seasoned or brined food items on the racks you can set it and forget it.

July/august AGENDA
FUN WITH THE GIRLS JULY 18: A TASTE OF CULTURE, This culinary event, sponsored by The Multicultural Center of the South and DiamondJacks Casino, provides an array of gourmet food and entertainment from India as well as 26 other cultures. The events begins at 6 p.

Evening for Healers
A sold out crowd April 30 filled the Shreveport Convention Center for the LSU Health Sciences Foundation’s An Evening for Healers. George and Clare Nelson chaired the event and Willis-Knighton Health System was the title sponsor. Guests heard stories of the LSU physicians and caregivers who brought hope and healing to patients and their families.

Feast
A true local feast benefitted Shreveport Green. It was held June 11 at Greenleaf Park in the Provenance neighborhood. The mission of the event was to re-connect people to the land and the origins of food and to honor local farmers and artisans who cultivate and prepare it.

Belle Brunch
A Southern Belle Brunch to benefit the Susan G. Komen Northwest Louisiana affiliate was held June 20 at East Ridge Country Club. Janie Walters served as keynote speaker. She spoke about “Blow a Bubble, Not a Gasket,” offering stress management techniques.

Paper People
That is the rule. I bought John Green’s “Paper Towns” in January and meant to read it, but life got in the way. At the movies last month, I saw the trailer for John Green’s “Paper Towns” coming out in July and knew what I had to do. What better time to read the book than during summer break at the beach.